In July and August, bird flu infections were already detected on 27 other fur animal farms in other regions of Finland, after which a nationwide investigation was launched. The results of this investigation are expected next week.
“The case shows that the risk of bird flu infections is not yet over and that it is necessary to continue protective measures in fur animal farms,” states the Finnish Food Authority.
The Baltic Sea republic Lithuania last week definitively decided to stop fur farming. Lithuania is thus the twentieth country to ban fur farming. The law affects about one million animals per year.
The forty mink farms and thirty chinchilla farms must cease their activities by 2027. Before the ban, Lithuania was one of the main remaining fur-producing countries in Europe.
The other Baltic countries Estonia and Latvia had already banned fur farming, as well as Denmark and the Netherlands.